Hi everybody. We just pushed version 17.12.17 to Steam and itch.io. This patch is compatible with saves from 17.12.02 or later. We fixed some critical issues on Mac/Linux, solved a couple of usability/AI bugs, and started taking a crack at memory leaks and performance issues that crop up late game. Those are really the most pressing issues to solve at the moment. We’ve written a few simple tests to help us track down memory leaks and performance degradation that occurs after playing the game for a few hours, and have already found and fixed a couple of problems.
One of the well known problems we hope to solve soon is the bird population explosion, which we have definitely verified is real! After a few hours birds tend to cluster in low areas with hundreds of eggs.
Meanwhile, we’re hoping to get one more content update out by Christmas. Our artist has been pixelling away at various jolly creatures and resources for the candy-cane forest — the elf equivalent to the undead’s haunted forest.
Changes in this version:
Patch to 17.12.04
We just pushed a patch to Steam and itch.io which fixes some of the issues encountered with our last build, 17.12.02. Here are a list of changes:
17.12.02
We just pushed a new version of DwarfCorp to Steam and itch.io. After taking a break for Thanksgiving, we decided to roll out a few new features which have been in testing. Bear with us because new features can often mean new undiscovered bugs!
Bugfixes:
The new overworld system makes it easy to mod the worlds using tools like photoshop. Here I made Europe!
New features/balance
Grass decals make for more fluffy grass.
Version 17.11.19 and Turkeys
A turkey at twilight.
We just uploaded version 17.11.19 to Steam and itch.io. We just had a few basic bug fixes to make, but also added a new animal: the turkey.
Bugfixes
Misc. Changes
Version 17.11.12: task pool and new ambient sound system
We just uploaded version 17.11.12 to Steam and itch.io. This version features a major change to the mechanics of dwarf selection and task assignment. It also features a new dynamic ambient sound system, as well as several bugfixes and balance improvements.
Task Pool
After a lot of player feedback, we’ve decided to modify the way dwarf tasks are assigned. Previously, we had opted for an RTS-like model where the player first clicks on dwarves and then assigns specific dwarves to specific tasks. For example, if you wanted to build a bed, you’d first click on a crafter, then click “Build Bed”. That crafter would then go and build the bed. This is fairly intuitive to players of other strategy games, but when you start to have many dwarves and many things to build it can be overwhelming.
For that reason, we’ve switched over to a task-centric model. You no longer have to select dwarves to tell them what to do (though you can still select them to view info about them, or to order them to move around). Instead, you specify tasks directly and dwarves automatically carry them out. This means you lose a degree of control over which dwarves do what, but it should now be more streamlined and easier to assign large numbers of tasks.
This is a large change which has a big effect on the feel of the game. We haven’t quite tested every possible corner case, so some bugs are bound to crop up from this new system. Please bear with us as we polish it and make it work in all cases.
Craft Assistance
One consequence of the task pool system is that dwarves can now automatically assist each other when building objects and rooms. Crafters will go to the location of the room or object, and wait until their friends arrive with resources, then the crafters will build the object or room together — doubling their build speed.
Crafting is also now a remembered activity. Dwarves will go back to crafting an object and remember crafting progress + resources when interrupted or if the game was loaded from a save file.
New Ambient Sound System
About 50 MB of new ambient sounds were added to the game from our colleagues at the Berklee College of Music. These subtle background sounds will automatically switch depending on which biome you’re in. New storm sounds were also added.
Other Changes
What we’re working on now
One of our contractors has been developing a new decal system which he’s been using to make fancier looking grass. We plan to apply this system to stuff like snow, pools of blood, fallen leaves, and dwarf artwork.
The next big push will be on game balance. Especially after the game has been playing more than a few hours. We’re working on ecological sustainability (that is, how many critters and plants are in the world) to prevent certain species (cough, birds) to overpopulate, as well as preventing snow from piling up or all the trees in the world from dying too quickly.
